TheNewsGuru

Tag: Zamfara

  • Zamfara bandits I met not responsible for Jangebe school girls abduction – Gumi

    Zamfara bandits I met not responsible for Jangebe school girls abduction – Gumi

    Kaduna based Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has reacted to the latest abduction in Zamfara State.

    The cleric said abductors of the Zamfara schoolgirls were not the bandits he recently engaged with in Zamfara forests.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the bandits stormed Government Secondary School Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local Government Area around 1 am Friday and abducted over 300 female students.

    Zamfara Commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, confirmed the abduction to News Agency of Nigeria but could not confirm the number of the students abducted as at press time.

    However, Gumi, in a short telephone interview with The Nation, said the abduction was carried out by a splinter group of the Zamfara bandits.

    The Islamic scholar, who appeared to have reached out to the bandit leaders he recently met, stated categorically “They are not the ones that abducted the girls. It is a splinter group.”

    When asked whether he would be going to Zamfara to meet the bandits for talks and plea for release of the school girls, Sheikh Gumi simply said, “maybe”.

    Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Police Command has confirmed the abduction. The command said that about three-hundred and seventeen (317) students were abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School Jangebe in Jangebe, Zamfara State.

    The Zamfara State Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro said a joint search and rescue operation is already underway with a view to rescuing the 317 students kidnapped by the marauders.

  • Police reveal number of students kidnapped in Zamfara College

    Police reveal number of students kidnapped in Zamfara College

    Police in Zamfara has said that about three-hundred and seventeen (317) students were abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School Jangebe in Jangebe, Zamfara State.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the school which is located within the Talata-Mafara local government area of the state came under siege by some bandits at past midnight.

    In reaction to the development, the Zamfara Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yaro said a joint search and rescue operation is already underway with a view to rescuing the 317 students kidnapped by the marauders.

    CP Yaro said the Force Commander Operations Hadarin Daji, Major General Aminu Bande, Brigade Commander 1 Brigade, Nigeria Army Gusau, and other state government officials led a heavily armed Re-enforcement team to Jangebe to complement the ongoing rescue operation in the locations where the students were believed to have been whisked to.

    The Commissioner while interfacing with the Principal of the school and the parents appealed to everyone to be calm as joint efforts of the police and other security agencies will surely lead to a successful rescue of the students.

  • BREAKING: Bandits kidnap 300 schoolgirls in Zamfara School

    BREAKING: Bandits kidnap 300 schoolgirls in Zamfara School

    Gunmen on Friday abducted yet to be ascertained number of schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara state.

    However, in a developing story on BBC Hausa, about 300 felames students were said to have been abducted.

    This is coming less than 10 days after terrorists killed a student, abducted 27 students and three staff of Government Science college, Kagara, Niger state. 12 relatives of the staff and students were also kidnapped in the process

    A resident in Kawaye village, who identified himself as Sadi Kawaye said that his daughters, Mansura and Sakina were among those abducted.

    “I’m on my to Jangebe now to see the situation myself. I was told they invaded the school around 1:00am,” he said.

    The spokesman of the state police command command SP Muhammad Shehu didn’t deny the abduction but pleaded for time to ascertain the true situation

    “Give me some times, I can’t say anything now,” he said

  • BREAKING: Six children killed while playing with ‘explosive devise’ found in Zamfara bush

    BREAKING: Six children killed while playing with ‘explosive devise’ found in Zamfara bush

    Six children are feared dead following an explosion that rocked Magami village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs Abubakar Dauran, said the victims went to the bush in search of firewood when they picked an explosive devise and began playing with it, and shortly after, it exploded.

    While six are said to have died instantly, others were left with various degrees of injuries.

    Those who sustained injuries were immediately rushed to a hospital in Gusau, the state capital for medical attention.

    According to the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, he later got information that one person among the victims that were hospitalized also died.

    He said the state had put measures in place to prevent future occurrences of such.

  • Police rescue 5 kidnap victims, recover 11 cows in Zamfara

    Police rescue 5 kidnap victims, recover 11 cows in Zamfara

    Police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder led by DPO Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State have facilitated the unconditional release of five people who were abducted near Namoda Secondary School and Zangon Danbade of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

    The spokesman of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, said in a statement, yesterday, that all the rescued victims were medically treated and debriefed by the police and later reunited with their families.

    He said another team of police operatives recovered 11 cows believed to have been stolen in Maradun LGA.

    The statement reads, “On February 4, this year, police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder led by DPO Kaura Namoda facilitated the unconditional release of five kidnapped victims.

    “They were abducted behind Namoda Secondary School in Zangon Danbade areas of Kaura Namoda town in the state.

    “All the rescued victims were medically treated and debriefed by the police and later reunited with their families. Efforts to apprehend the perpetrators are ongoing.”

    Shehu also said, “On February 3, 2021, another team of police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder on market patrol at Nasarawa GODEL in Birnin Magaji LGA received an intelligence report about some cows reasonably suspected to have been stolen somewhere in Maradun LGA.

    “The report was effectively utilised, where 11 of the cows were recovered and taken to the State CID in Gusau for discreet investigation and identification of their rightful owners.”

    He further explained that On February 6, 2021, a report was received at Tudun Wada Police Station from one Hajiya Zainab Saidu of Gidan Dawa area of Gusau that her vehicle, a Honda ash-coloured car was stolen.

    He said according to the woman, some criminals came and stole the vehicle from where it was parked.

  • Seven notorious bandits repent, surrender weapons in Zamfara

    Seven notorious bandits repent, surrender weapons in Zamfara

    Seven notorious bandits on Friday repented and surrendered their weapons to the Zamfara State Government.

    The repentant bandits also took an oath to stop banditry and embrace the peace accord instituted by State Governor Bello Matawalle to end the decade-old banditry in the state.

    They were received at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital, in the presence of some traditional rulers and Islamic clerics who took turns to counsel them as their weapons were handed over to the State Police Command.

    They surrendered 14 weapons including AK 47 rifles.

    The bandits who swore by the Holy Qur’an indicated their willingness to stop banditry and embrace peace for the rest of their lives.

    The State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran who presented the bandits to Governor Matawalle said they willingly took the decision to accept the peace offered by the Governor and will accept to be re-integrated into the society.

    The governor accepted their resolve as they took the oath with the Holy Quran not to either go back to their past ways or become informants for their former colleagues who are yet to key into the peace process.

    Governor Matawalle also promised to continue with the peace process in the state employing the carrot and stick approach towards a successful end to the menace in the state.

    Zamfara State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran while briefing journalists said over 1,000 kidnapped victims have been rescued and over 148 weapons with 1,418 live ammunitions surrendered by bandits since the inception of peace dialogue with bandits.

    As part of efforts to fight banditry, Governor Matawalle’s administration has made it a policy to extend an olive branch to bandits who are willing to give up a life of crime.

    The policy has been noted to have significantly reduced the frequency of banditry and bloody attacks in the state.

    Other state governments in the northern region troubled by bandit activities have employed a similar approach with varying success.

  • Matawalle responds to allegations of dashing Zamfara bandits vehicles

    Matawalle responds to allegations of dashing Zamfara bandits vehicles

    Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has responded to allegations of gifting vehicles to bandits in the state.

    Recall that a former Local Government Chairman in the state, Abubakar Maradun had earlier made the allegation against the Governor, saying he supplied Hilux vehicles to bandits which they used to attack innocent residents.

    He said the bandits used two of the vehicles in an attack on Janbako community which led to the death of ten people.

    Maradun said, “They went to that village in two of the Hilux vehicles given to them by the Zamfara State Government. One of the vehicles broke down and was abandoned by the bandits.

    “These bandits have been using the vehicles to kidnap, kill and rape innocent people and the press has been silent,” he added.

    Reacting to the allegation, the Special Adviser to Governor Bello Matawalle on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Zailani Baffa, described it as wicked.

    He, however, admitted that the Governor did donate vehicles, adding that they were distributed to all the security agencies in the state.

    He said, “These vehicles were duly distributed to all security agencies in the state under the supervision of the Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police.

    “The beneficiaries included the military, the police, the customs and excise, the immigration services, the NDLEA, the NSCDC, the FRSC, among others.”

    His words were corroborated by the Governor while reacting to the allegation via his official Twitter handle.

    “The said vehicles, 200 of them were donated to security agencies in the state to boost their morale in tackling insurgency,” Matawalle tweeted.

    He described the allegation as “a display of quackery and sheer mischief targeted at disabusing the minds of law-abiding and patriotic citizens of the state.”

  • NAF loses personnel in gun duel with Zamfara bandits

    NAF loses personnel in gun duel with Zamfara bandits

    The Nigerian Air force (NAF) said it has lost one of its Special Forces Personnel, Aircraftman Sunday Enwa.

    Enwa according to NAF lost his life during a gun battle with bandits near Yar Katsina, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    In a Press Release made available to TheNewsGuru.com on Monday by NAF Spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola disclosed the troops pursued the bandits and cornered them at the Maje Riverline, neutralizing 30 of them.

    The statement reads;
    “Troops of Sector 1 of Operation HADARIN DAJI have neutralized no fewer than 30 armed bandits at the Maje Riverline near Yar Katsina under Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State. This was achieved when the troops from Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) at Kekuwuje, Kwatarkwashi and Maru, comprised mostly of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Forces (SF) personnel, were mobilized in response to reports that scores of armed bandits, along with a large number of rustled livestock, were spotted heading towards Kekuwuje-Yar Kastina Road.”

    “The troops made contact with the armed bandits along the Yar Katsina Road and overpowered them with superior firepower in the ensuing gun battle….”

    “Unfortunately, one NAF SF personnel, Aircraftman Sunday Enwa, who fought gallantly during the encounter, paid the supreme price while 3 others, who sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, have been evacuated for medical treatment.

    The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on behalf all officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserates with the family of the fallen hero and prays that the Almighty God grants his soul peaceful repose. The CAS also urges all NAF personnel to remain resolute and continue to work assiduously, in synergy with sister Services and other security agencies, to rid the Northwest of all criminal elements.”

  • Gunmen invade Zamfara village, kidnap seven

    Gunmen invade Zamfara village, kidnap seven

    Seven persons have been kidnapped at Kadauri village within the Jabaka District of Maru local government area in Zamfara State.

    One person was also shot in the leg by the unknown gunmen who invaded the village.

    Authorities say the injured man is currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital.

    Six out of the seven kidnapped persons are said to be children of one Mr Sani Gyare Kadauri and the other person is the daughter of his neighbour.

    Sani Gyare Kadauri in an interview said the gunmen stormed the village at about 12 midnight and operated in the village till about 2AM before leaving with the abductees.

    He further stated that a distress call was put through to the security agencies but the operatives could not come until 4AM when the bandits had gone.

    Sani Gyare decried the “lukewarm attitude of security operatives” in responding to distress calls, stressing that this is not helping in the offensive against the miscreants within the region.

    Reacting to the incident, the State Police Command through its spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, said a combined team of security operatives have been deployed to comb the bush to rescue the kidnapped.

    Mr. Shehu assured residents that all will be done to see that those kidnapped are returned unhurt.

  • Zamfara shuts down 500 private schools

    Zamfara shuts down 500 private schools

    The Zamfara State government has revoked the operational licences of more than 500 private schools in the state, over their inability to meet required operational guidelines.

    According to Commissioner for Education in the state, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who made this known to newsmen on Tuesday in Zamfara said a task force has been set up to ensure compliance with the closure order.

    He said the schools would only be allowed to operate when they meet the guidelines recently developed by the government.

    “The guidelines will have to be followed and be met by any private school proprietor before a licence to operate will be issued to them.

    “At the moment, we have drafted a bill which we will forward to the House of Assembly that will empower the Ministry of Education to have control over the way the private schools are set up and operated,’’ he said.

    The Commissioner also said the ministry’s unit which oversees the operations of private schools has been upgraded into a department to ensure efficiency.